2020 Subaru Legacy vs 2020 Nissan Maxima

The 2020 Subaru Legacy presented a conundrum with its styling, balancing pragmatic sensibility with an attempt to stand out. While it was a handsome car, it struggled to make a bold impression compared to competitors like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The Legacy's design featured sharp angles and details, yet it felt smaller, almost compact, which was evident when comparing its front end to the Subaru Impreza. Inside, the Legacy boasted a massive 11.6-inch touchscreen, but many features were buried within its digital interface, complicating simple tasks like adjusting climate controls. The Legacy offered six trims, with the Premium trim being particularly recommended for its features like the All-Weather Package and heated elements, making it a practical choice for colder climates.

The 2020 Nissan Maxima, on the other hand, shared a design language with other Nissan models, featuring the signature V-Motion grille and jewel-like LED headlights. Its floating-roof design and sporty rear spoiler on the SR model added to its appeal. The Maxima was the pioneer of this design era for Nissan sedans, influencing models like the Altima and Sentra. The Maxima was available in five trims, with the Platinum trim offering premium features. The interior was well-finished, with the Platinum Reserve Package adding semi-aniline leather and Satin Bronze finishers. Despite its thick center console, the Maxima provided a spacious cabin, though it lagged behind competitors in legroom and cargo space. However, it excelled in headroom and offered practical features like large bottle holders in the doors.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy offered a choice between two engines. The base, Premium, Sport, and Limited trims were equipped with a 2.5-liter boxer 4-cylinder engine, producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and standard all-wheel drive, providing a responsive driving experience, especially in city settings. However, the powertrain showed some weaknesses when accelerating to highway speeds, requiring a push and generating noise. For those seeking more power, the Limited XT and Touring XT trims featured a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer 4-cylinder engine, delivering 260 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. Despite the Legacy's impressive handling and refined ride quality, the auto stop-start system was a point of frustration, as it was hidden within the infotainment system's sub-menu. The Legacy's fuel economy was commendable, with the base engine achieving 27 mpg city, 35 highway, and 30 combined, while the turbocharged engine offered slightly lower figures.

In contrast, the 2020 Nissan Maxima was powered by a robust 3.5-liter V6 engine, generating 300 horsepower and 261 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a CVT, providing ample power for most drivers. Despite being marketed as a "four-door sports car," the Maxima was more comfortable as a cruiser, with its Sport drive mode enhancing the driving experience. The Maxima excelled in absorbing road imperfections and featured active noise cancellation technology in higher trims. It came with front-wheel drive and an 18-gallon fuel tank, offering a planted feel in most driving situations. The Maxima's fuel economy was estimated at 20 mpg city, 30 highway, and 24 combined, comparable to other vehicles in its class. However, it lacked an all-wheel-drive option and a hybrid variant, which some competitors offered.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy offered solid trunk space for its class, with 15.1 cubic feet, slightly improved from the previous model. While it couldn't compete with crossovers in cargo capacity, it surprised with its generous backseat head- and legroom. The Legacy accommodated taller drivers comfortably, with enough space for another person of similar height in the backseat. The rear seats featured conveniences like in-door cupholders and a fold-down center armrest with additional cupholders. The front seats were supportive, and the door pockets provided ample storage for water bottles and other items. However, the center stack's tray was small, making it challenging to access the USB port.

The 2020 Nissan Maxima catered to buyers seeking spacious seating, a large trunk, and modern features. The cabin's only limitation was the thick center console, which mimicked the car's stance. The infotainment screen, surrounded by large vents and buttons, tilted toward the driver. While the console had all necessary components, it lacked a dedicated space for smartphone storage. The Maxima provided ample room for passengers in both the front and rear seats, though it fell short in legroom compared to competitors like the Honda Accord and Toyota Avalon. The Maxima offered more headroom than its rivals, with up to 39.4 inches. However, its trunk space was limited to 14.3 cubic feet, less than the Sonata, Avalon, and Accord. Despite these limitations, the Maxima handled cargo and seating needs effectively during testing.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy featured a massive 11.6-inch touchscreen with the Starlink infotainment system. While the icons were large and easy to read, the system's interface was cumbersome, requiring multiple steps for simple tasks like adjusting heated seats or climate controls. The portrait orientation of the screen also scrunched Apple CarPlay into a smaller section, which was frustrating for users loyal to their smartphones. Despite these drawbacks, the system didn't exhibit lag or bugs, and Subaru retained physical dials for volume and tuning. However, the high-tech system was present in all trims except the base, leaving no escape from its complexities.

The 2020 Nissan Maxima came standard with an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 7-inch driver information display. While functional, these screens lacked modern aesthetics. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard across all models, with NissanConnect Services available on the top Platinum trim. Buyers could upgrade to a Bose Premium Audio system with 11 speakers. The Maxima excelled in features like the Around View Monitor camera system, power rear sunshade, and keyless entry. USB-A and USB-C ports were available in the front and rear, making charging convenient.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy came equipped with Subaru's EyeSight suite of driver-assistance features, including forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. The system used a head-up light system on the dash to signal alerts, providing intuitive feedback. EyeSight also included an alert for when the car in front started moving, helping drivers avoid causing backups. Standard safety features included a full array of airbags, traction control, a reversing camera, and a tire pressure monitoring system.

The 2020 Nissan Maxima featured Nissan Safety Shield 360, a comprehensive package of safety and driver-assist technologies. This included standard blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, intelligent forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and rear automatic braking. Traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control were standard on all trims except the base. The Maxima performed well in IIHS and NHTSA safety tests, receiving top ratings for front crash prevention.